Quote ="Big Dave T"Interesting.... maybe he could be a Celtic player afterall.'" Don't think so www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5814813844

Quote ="Big Dave T"Interesting.... maybe he could be a Celtic player afterall.'" Don't think so www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5814813844

Quote ="Mulder"Don't think so www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5814813844'" Fair enough. When's Clinton going to break his silence?

Quote ="Mulder"Don't think so www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5814813844'" Fair enough. When's Clinton going to break his silence?

A mixture of fairy tales, excuses and a wish list.

Think thats still a problem in all honesty and O'Meley is settling in very well indeed

yup, I heard that too

I think when the Hull fans said they wanted a bit of biff, they meant on the field

He obviously forgot to sign the pre season"be a good boy" contract.

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... Rover.html?

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... Rover.html?

What do you need him to say? Hopefully he'll do his talking on the pitch.

Must be a megabucks deal to come over for only a year when he already was the highest paid forward at Brisbane.



Also confirmation that Galea and Cooke leave at the end of the season. This must be why GML was recommending The Sun yesterday.

Dont have a problem with this. Ben has one, maybe two seasons left at the top and cookie has been hot and cold at best. We also have Walker, Webster, Wheeldon and Mills OOC off the top of my head. I'd expect Wheeldon to be offered a new deal during this season. Walker may be offered reduced terms dependent on the prognosis on his injury. Webster could be offered new terms dependent on form, if he has an exceptional season then we would be stupid not to, however, I think Rovers bringing Ratu in is with a view to him becoming Webster replacement in 2011.

Rovers have had extensive recruitment over the two previous seasons, the key is consolidation. The players we have lost, barring Fitzhenry, were not up to standard. We have broughtin youth and good players at that. Personally I am more than happy with our recruitment and am confident the team will go well. RL is a team game and the key to sucess is to have a stable and consistant team; look at Leeds or Saints.

As for some of our players not as good as we think they are, who in particular do you mean? IMO some our of players don't get the recognition they deserve. We were not 4th placed for nothing. I think some FC fans need to be more realistic in their expectations of their team and coaches ability or it could well be another long season for them. Fitgibbon is a classy and professional player, but has peaked. Shrek, well time will tell, but he is not a player that I would want at my club.

Why ?

De ja vue

My personal opinion and this isnt a gripe aimed at Rovers (because it feels like we may have a reasonable debate here) is that the likes of Murrell, Wheeldon, Netherton, Cockayne to name but 4 players aren't good enough. I also think you were very lucky to be able to mostly pick from your main players for the majority of the season, for example, if Dobson had been injured you would have been lucky to make the 8 imo. (similar to us having Thorman who unfortunately wouldnt get injured!!)

Thankfully your opinion has proven to be way off the mark, validated by your belief that in 2008 FC would finish top-three when they ended up finishing second bottom and have only finished ahead of promoted sides for the last 2 years.

But then again it's all about opinions, but only when in the annual event that I'm proven right (in terms of final league placings) and FC fans such as the "mars" and the like are proven wrong, they choose to hide under their rocks until they can predict the same nonsense as the previous off-season - and the cycle goes round and round...

If I was as sad as Mrs Barista then I'd get a database of quotes ready but I have a life away from these message boards...

And there's the reason we cant have a decent debate. I was hoping that my reply of my personal opinion would be greeted with several replies from rovers fans of their personal opinions about said players and that thing called 'debate' would happen.

Guess it's over your head though Zoddy.

Ok. Of the players you have mentioned, what are they "not good enough" for specifically?

I think Murrell has a great footballing brain and if you watched him regularly you would notice it's the little things he does that pay off for Rovers. Great kicker too, he was the only player to kick a 40 20 at Edinburgh last year. We missed him when he was out injured. A play maker that gives lots of options. Top ten tackler in SL last seaon too (7th)

Ben Cockayne IMO is underrated by other clubs fans because they like to focus on his indiscipline ( that is overrated!) Cockayne is fast and very brave, will put his body on the line too and is good defensively, especially on the line. Good player. Will get a chance next year now that Fitzhenry has gone,

As for Wheelden and Netherton, they are solid not spectacular, but are dependable and certainly 'good enough'.

All teams need a balance of different types of players and at Rovers we have that.

It's a fair summary. Murrell i agree, maybe ive not seen enough of him but the times when i have i'd definately put him into the plodder category rather than anything else. Cockayne to some extent is a victim of his own utility. If he were just a full back he would be 1st choice at another club now. With him also been able to play hooker Morgs has kept him for that option. I think it's a huge risk using a utility player at 9 though rather than a specialist.

Maybe not good enough was the wrong term. Maybe i should have said good enough for a lower SL team. Wheeldon and Netherton are definately ok players for that level but imo if Rovers have aspirations to maintain a top 4 position i think up front is definately where needs strengthening.

I will not be surprised if Scotty Wheeldon is offered a new contract! I think he has what it takes - a prop with stamina!

I'm sure he will be offered a new deal, there's a shortage of off quota front row forwards out there.

you tell us Dave, you seem to know all things Rovers...

Didn't you predict Hull would finish top 4 last year?

well how has the squad changed? Key players leaving are Fitzhenry and Fozzard. Neither were the reason we finished 4th imo and whilst I would have loved to have seen us sign a world class prop and hooker to replace them and push us from 4th to first it was probably not going to happen with the salary cap, finances and lack of quality in either of those positions available this off season.

Form and injuries permitting we are still good enough for the play offs and a good cup run and realisitcally that is as much as we can ask for at this point in time.